Oudinot was elected a member of the chamber of deputies, but had little time to devote to politics. He took a leading role in the
War of the Third Coalition, commanding the famous division of "grenadiers Oudinot," made up of hand-picked troops and organised by him, with which he seized the Vienna bridges, received a wound at the
Battle of Schöngrabern in Lower Austria against the Russians. In 1807, he participated in
Joachim Murat's victory in the
Battle of Ostrolenka in Poland and fought with resolution and success at the
Battle of Friedland. In 1808 he was made governor of
Erfurt and
Count of the French Empire, and in 1809, after the
Battle of Wagram, he was promoted to the rank of
Marshal of France. He was made a titular duke in chief of the
duché-grand fief of
Reggio in the satellite
Kingdom of Naples, and received a large money grant in April 1810. From 1810 to 1812 Oudinot administered the government of the former
Kingdom of Holland, and commanded the II Corps of
La Grande Armée in the
Russian campaign. His corps was instrumental in building the bridge over the
Berezina that allowed the evacuation of troops after the defeat at the
Battle of Berezina. During this period he suffered another wounding in battle. He was present at the
Battle of Lützen and the
Battle of Bautzen, and when holding the independent command of the corps directed to take
Berlin was defeated at the
Battle of Grossbeeren. He was then superseded by
Marshal Ney, but the latter was defeated at the
Battle of Dennewitz. Oudinot was not disgraced. He held important commands at the
Battle of Leipzig and in the campaign of 1814. On Napoleon's abdication, he rallied to the new government, and was made a
Peer of France by the Bourbon Restoration King
Louis XVIII. Unlike many of his old comrades, he did not desert to his former master during Bonaparte's 1815 return. ==Later life==